Catch mechanism



y c. R. HENNICKE 2,159,895

CATCH MECHANISM Filed Sept. 12, 1936 & 777771 fl 16 g Patented May 23,1939 UNITED STATES PATENT G FFECE 2,159,895 CATCH MECHANISM ApplicationSeptember 12, 1936, Serial No. 100,472

1 Claim.

This invention relates to catch mechanism for securing a movable member,and more particularly, is an improvement over the catch mechanismdisclosed in application Ser. No. 29,501, filed 5 July 22, 1935, forsecuring in locked position the actuating member for latch mechanism fora refrigerator truck or car.

An object of the present invention is to so arrange the construction andrelative positioning of the parts of this mechanism as to prevent anunauthorized person picking the look.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates my invention:

Figure 1 shows in elevation a portion of the latch mechanism which isdescribed in detail and claimed in the application above referred to;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the actuating member or lever, a portion ofthe closure being shown in section;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation similar to Figure 1, but on an enlargedscale, part of the housing for the hook elements being broken away onthe line III-III of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line IV-IV of Figure 2.

As described more in detail in the above referred to application, aclosure member 5 is forced into place within a frame 6 by bolts (notshown) actuated by linkages 1 and 8, pivotally connected to racks 9 andIll. The racks 9 and I mesh with the gear teeth of an actuating gear ll,within a casing l2. The shaft M on which the gear II is mounted isprovided with a squared shank engaged within a corresponding opening inthe gear I I and an actuating member or lever I is fixed on the shaft Mon the outside of the closure 5 for rotating the gear and accordinglyoperating the latch mechanism. Catch mechanism is provided at thelocking position of the handle or lever I5. This catch mechanismconstitutes the invention in. the present application. It is obviousthat this mechanism is suitable for securing movable members of otherdescriptions than the one illustrated and above described. The inventionis more particularly applicable to securing an elongated member inposition, but the advantages of the catch mechanism do not depend uponpivotal movement of this movable member.

As illustrated more particularly in Figures 3 and 4, a housing I6 issecured to the frame 6. A chamber l'l having an extension l8 through thefront of the housing receives a cylinder lock 20. A diaphragm 2| extendsacross the interior of the housing, part way up, as shown moreparticularly in Figure 3. A plate 22 (see Figure 4) is recessed into thehousing at its back, and is held against the housing by screws 23,threaded into the rear of the cylinder lock 20.

In addition to holding the cylinder lock in position, this plate has thefurther function of providing the rear bearing for a shaft 25. Thisshaft is formed with a shoulder for engaging the plate 22 which preventsthe shaft from backing out. The forward end of the shaft 25 is milleddown to a tongue 26 (see Figure 3) which serves the double purpose ofengaging the cylinder of the lock 20 and also as a means for actuating apawl 21 which is in this way caused to rotate with the shaft 25. Thehook element itself 28 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 25 between thediaphragm 2| and the plate 22, being free to swing without turning theshaft. It is, or course, apparent that with this construction, the catchmechanism can be reversely mounted so as to swing either clockwise orcounterclockwise depending upon the positioning of the hook element. Alight spring 29 biases the hook element 28 toward operative'position, i.e., in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3. As: is apparent fromthat figure, one end of the spring is caught about one of the screws 23and the other end presses against a screw 30 or other similar lug orabutment on the hook element 28.

A second hook element 32 is riveted into and made a part of the handleor lever I5. The rivets 33 or other suitable attachment devices wherebythe hook element 32 is secured in the handle l5, are hidden behind aportion 34 of the housing IB which serves as a guard. This guard is cutaway on its inner lip at 35 to urge the lever l5 into position as it islowered, and furthermore covers the rivets 33 so as to prevent theirremoval with consequent destruction of the security of the catchmechanism.

The projecting hook element 32 is formed with a deep shoulder 36 on itsopen side; and as a result, the portion of the projecting element 32, bywhich it is secured in the handle or lever l5 overlies and extends toeither side of the hook element 28. Ribs 38 are formed integrally withthe lever 15 so as to lie in overlapping relation with the two upperlateral edges of the housing l6 when the lever is secured by the catchmechanism.

The operation of this mechanism is relatively simple. The handle orlever I5 is shown in secured position in Figure 1. By inserting the keyin the cylinder lock and turning the same to the left, the pawl 21 isrotated in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 3. FromFigure 4 it is apparent that the nose of this pawl 21 engages the hookelement 28, and accordingly this hook element is carried to the left outof engagement with the hook element 32. The lever or handle 65 is nowfree to be lifted. In accordance with the disclosure in my priorapplication above identified, the bolts are withdrawn by means of theinward travel of the linkages I and 8 when the lever 15 is lifted orswung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1.

When the operator wishes to shut the closure of a refrigerator car orthe like, he swings the lever or handle l5 downwardly to the positionshown in full lines in Figure 3. The portion of the handle to which thehook element 32 is secured is pushed down behind the guard 34, and thishook element first deflects the hook element 28 and then the lattersnaps into place to secure the handle in this position until the lockcylinder is again rotated.

This construction is to such a high degreeresistant to tampering that itis almost impossible to pick the lock. Any fiat blade or otherinstrument used for picking the lock would have to make two right-anglebends before it could get into contact with the hook element 28 or latch2?. The hook element 32 is rigid, and therefore, the tool used in anattempt to pick the lock would 'have to turn downwardly, no matterwhether the tool were inserted from the right or left (as viewed inFigure 3). the tool would have to follow down'along the straight rightside of the hook element 32, and

then make a second right-angle bend to get around the lower end of theelement 32 into contact with the pawl or hook element 28. I know of noinstrument that is flexible enough to make these bends and still bestrong enough to push the hook element 28 out of locking positionagainst the spring 29.

If the tool were inserted from the left hand side, it would have to makeone right-angle bend downwardly and would then have to make a Ifinserted from the right, 7

reverse bend along the deep shoulder 36 before coming in contact withthe hook element 28. It will be apparent that this construction in whichthe hook element 28 is contained well within its housing l6 andcooperates with a projecting portion of the lever or handle l5 hasdecided advantages, so far as security is concerned.

This construction has the further advantage that it is not necessary forthe body builder to maintain so high a degree of accuracy in mountingthe housing IS with relation to the path of travel of the handle orlever l5. Even though the ribs 38 do not nicely fit the two upper edgesof the housing IS, the construction practically avoids the possibilityof picking of the lock, and therefore, there is a larger tolerance as tothe fit.

While I have illustrated and described the embodiment of my inventionwhich I at present prefer, it will be understood that the inventionmaybe otherwise embodied and practiced within the scope of the followingclaim. 7

I claim:

Catch mechanism for truck door locks comprising an operating levermounted for movement in a plane parallel with the door having adepending hook element thereon, a casing mounted on the door having apivoted hook-like keeper therein, said casing having an opening in thetop thereof through which the hook-like member on the operating handlemay pass, a spring for resiliently urging the hook-like keeper intoposition to engage the hook-like member on the handle, the hook-likemember and the hook-like keeper having inclined ratchet faces to enablethe hooklike member on the handle to cam the hook-like keeper againstthe resistance of the spring to one side when the hook-like member isbeing projected into the casing, the spring serving to return the keeperto locking position after the hook-like projection on the handle hasentered the casing to its full limit, and a key lock including a lockbarrel pivotally supported in the casing for releasably holding thekeeper in locked position.

CARL R. HENNICKE.

